A Brother Am I
by FutanariIsFail
Summary: Not long after the events of Fallen Hero, Finn's brother, Rufus, happy to be with his brother once more, wanders upon a piece of his past. The Reapers, an ancient order of people who seek to rid the world of evil through extreme methods, call upon Rufus to slay an ancient evil while at the same time unifying with their god, whose spirit is contained within Rufus. Quite the journey!
1. Chapter 1

Redemption is a fruit so juicy and so sweet that it cannot simply be eaten; it can only be enjoyed if its eater has a mindset of true understanding of the world and how things work.

This is a story of brotherhood and friendship. This is how things started to look bright for me after a chunk of my life was spent destroying lives and spreading chaos in a state of insanity. This is the story of a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world. To put it less dramatically, this is a simple recollection I have of some memories that I wanted to share with you. Enjoy.

It was an interesting time. I had saved my brother, Finn, from certain death. I had expelled the Reapers' evil forces that lurked my body and his. I had resurrected two women I had killed in cold blood, redeemed my image, and was declared a hero. It could only get better from there... or could it?

Regardless, our story starts not long after the end of the events of my redemption, one morning when I was waking up in the house of Finn and Jake, where I had been staying. I was still waking up. I dressed myself and was ready to eat breakfast. I bumped into my brother and said to him, tiredly, "Oh, morning, bro. What kind of adventures are you involved in today?" He awkwardly followed with, "Nothing, really. Just a chill day." I gave an "uh-huh" in agreement as he went into the bathroom to shower. I laid my face on that dining room table to snooze, only for Jake to slap my face with a piece of buttered toast. He said to me, "Rise and shine, Rufus. You've got work to do today."

So my day progressed, and I found myself outside working, sipping iced tea, watching the sun beat down on me. Finn then came up to me said, "Hey, let's go out into the woods and mess around." I held my rake up against me and said, "Hmm?" He then replied, "When was the last time we could just fiddle around and have fun? Never, that's when." Finn then awkwardly looked up into the sky as I continued raking. I replied, "Sorry, I've got work to do. Maybe later."

Later came, and my work was done for the day. I was in for the night, relaxing, sitting on the couch, reading a very interesting book about narwhals and giggling at the sign nailed to the floor that said "IN CASE OF THE MORROW CRASHING THROUGH, STEER CLEAR". After that, Finn came into the living room and begged me to get on with the adventure. I played along, so I packed up some supplies, and ventured into the woods to see just what Finn was so excited about. We found ourselves travelling on a path and eventually stopped in front of a sign that read "GHOST MISTRESS LANDING - ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE". I vigilantly decided to step into this forbidden area with a sense of adventure, Finn agreeing to this decision. We tiptoed into the forbidden area with sweat dripping from our brows. I unsheathed one of the small scimitar daggers that sat behind my back and signaled for Finn to stand back and keep guard. I looked around and then signaled that it was safe to enter. We tiptoed forward a little more, Finn taking alarm after stepping on a branch that made a loud crack. I shushed him with my finger over my lips as I laid low and surveyed the area once more. I sheathed my dagger and said, "Well, I guess there's no danger here."

It was then that a wisp of spiritual energy swiped through the air and we threw ourselves to the ground. Finn then yelled to me, "What was that?" I then said, "That's the danger." The ghost mistress swooped and swerved, letting out cries of agony and lamentation. I reminded Finn, "We better get out of here, bro. This isn't a safe place for mortals." He silently affirmed with a nod as we dashed out of those woods. He blocked his head as the spirit swarmed in his face, screaming for me to get it off of him. I then attempted to throw my fist at the swarming aparition, only to end up punching my brother square in the cheek. He yelled, "Ow! What was that for?" I then replied, "Sorry. I just-" The rampaging aura then cut me off as she took her true form as a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair, dressed in a gown, laying down suggestively in the air and laughing softly. She spoke, head laying down on hand, and said, "You boys look worn out. Why don't you stay with me for the night, have some fun?" Finn then angrily replied, "No thanks." I then shoved him aside and tried to reason with the maiden myself.

I said to my brother, "Now hold it here, Finn, I got this." I then cleared my throat and adjusted my collar. I pulled out some breath spray and rid myself of any bad breath, hoping to coerce this lovely lustrous lady. I said, in a rather high and mighty manner, "M'lady, I am a man who knows how to make a deal. We'll crash here for the night if it means so much to you. Surely you have some beautiful mortal friends to keep me company?" The ghost mistress looked at me, annoyed, as if I had offended her greatly. She pointed her finger towards the way we came in, and said, bluntly, "Get out." I groaned in disappointment and started making my way back. I then overheard Finn conversing with the ghost mistress, her nodding in astoundment, them eventually shaking hands. She turned her head to me and said, "Well, loverboy, your friend here has convinced me to let you stay. Come with me."

We followed her into a well-hidden, well-protected fortress guarded by armor-clad centries with spears. They allowed us in to what we were surprised to find out was much, much bigger on the inside, spacious beyond belief. It was nicely decorated with curtains and paintings, candles on tables, statues and suits of armor, looking like a castle in its own right. We paced around in amazement, our eyes wide, our jaws dropped into goofy smiles. Finn said, "This is amazing!" I replied, "Yeah, well, we better let Jake know we're gone. He gets worried about you when you're not home." I then tapped onto my fancy wrist communicator to communicate with my eagle-dragon, Gilda, telepathically, to let her send a notice to Jake about our departure. We were safe with the ghost mistress for the night, who then came to our side and said, "Your room is on the right. Our guardians will insure your stay is safe."

We walked into our room to find only one bed. There was a loveseat on one side of the room, some carpeting and rugs, a picture of a lighthouse, a nightstand with a lamp, a fancy bathroom, and not much else. I said, "Alright, since I'm the oldest, you're taking the couch." Finn then snappily rebutted, "No way, man! I get the bed!" We growled in each other's faces. I said, "Rock paper scissors to see who gets it?" Finn fiercely replied, "Deal." Our palms laid flat, our other hands fisted and banging against, it was a battle of wits, with it ending in a tie of rock. We went once more, this time both picking scissors. One last round occured, me picking paper and Finn picking rock. I slapped his fist hardly and scoffed, coyly replying, "You're taking the couch, bro, and I get this nice, comfy bed to lay my head on." He stared at me as he positioned himself onto the couch and readied himself to sleep. I lay comfortably on the bed, hands behind head, one leg bent with foot resting flat, when two guards arrived in the doorway. To our surprise, and my benefit, both of them were foxy armor-clad women in plated skirts. I grinned and raised an eyebrow, rolling my eyes to Finn, who was not paying attention, focusing more on sleep than the guards.

The taller and elder one said, in a firm, demanding manner, "We guard this fortress in the name of the Ghost Mistress. You are welcome as a guest for the night. You have our word that you will be safe. If there is anything you need, call for us. I thought to myself, and I considered that thought. It is not an adventure for me unless there is love to be had. I brought that thought to fruition, and said, "Can you two come here for a second?" They arrived at the side of the bed to my right, in between me and my brother. They stood erect as the younger and shorter, who spoke in a quieter and more affable manner, said, "We are listening, master. Please tell us what it is you desire." I said, in a suave, cunning voice, "Well... I'm awfully lonely here with no one to keep me company but my brother. And you two are here to guard us, right?" The elder and taller replied, "That we are, sir." I continued, "Well, if it isn't too much for you, since I'm very sure it must be lonely for you out here, as well, your company is greatly appreciated." The elder and taller replied, "I believe I understand what you are implying. It is against my code, but there is never a better night than tonight for moments like this." I said to the younger and shorter, "And you?" She was a shy girl, nervous to come up with an answer. After a brief hesitation, she replied, "Well, I... I... I don't know." I thought further, and held my chin between my thumb and forefinger to conjure a solution. Quickly, it came, but it soon went. Finn then shifted on his side, his eyes partially open, and saw the guardesses in the room. He seemed confused, going so far as to ask, "What's happening?"

To that, I replied, in a casual manner, "Bro, these are the lovely guardesses who are keeping us company for the night. Two, count them, two. One for each of us. Consider yourself lucky. I know what you go through, and I think you'll like this." He confusedly replied, "Huh?" The younger guardess went to him and kneeled down, cupping his face in her hands, looking him in the eye. She smiled. She then let her hair down and said, "You must be tired after coming all the way here." Finn awkwardly replied, "Well, I kind of didn't expect this, and-" She shushed him quietly and lovingly. She whispered, "Relax. Think peaceful and serene thoughts." She locked her lips onto my brother's, and kissed him passionately. It warmed my heart to see my brother be so loved, and I couldn't help but feel happy for him. I turned my head back toward my center of focus and commenced with the older guardess. Little did we know we wouldn't be getting much sleep that night, and for good reason.

The morning sun rose, and both my brother and I were feeling accomplished and proud of ourselves. An obligatory fist-bump was had. I pushed the sleeping elder guardess off of me and went into the bathroom to wash my face. Afterwards, I donned the complimentary robe provided for guests and grabbed the second one for Finn. I tossed it towards him and said, "Alright, let's blow this joint. We've had our fun, now we gotta get back home." Finn then groggily sighed and said, "I don't wanna leave... it's nice here." I then forcibly pulled him toward me by his hat and said in his face, "Listen, bro, you give a deprived guardess what she desperately needs, you don't leave her side. You hear me?" He nodded, his face in shock. I then lightly tossed him back onto the loveseat. "Good. Now let's skedaddle." He then asked, "Um... shouldn't we get back into our clothes first?" I then remembered that I was wearing a robe for no reason. "Oh yeah, good point. Just give me a moment..."

After some redressing and a quiet escape, we left the woods and marched back on home. Jake quietly sat on the stoop with his arms folded, looking displeased. He started tapping his foot as we arrived. I then tried to explain, "Oh, hi Jake. Yeah, sorry we were gone all night. I mean, yeah..." Jake then replied, his voice stretching, "Hmm... I see. I was getting a little worried. It's dangerous at night." He then batted his eyes towards Finn and nodded his head downward. "And you, Finn. I'd expect late-night shenanigans from Rufus, but you? You could've been hurt, or worse." Finn then tried to rectify the situation, "Jake, it's not that big a deal. We just-" Jake then interrupted, "I don't want to hear it. Go to your room." Finn then said, "But-" Jake then gave a cold, blank stare, which sent Finn off into the house. Jake then said to me, "As for you..." I then quickly and nervously replied, "It was his idea. I didn't have any part in it." Jake then doubtfully replied, "Mm-hmm." I then pointed my finger right at Jake and said, "Look, Jake, you're being overprotective. It's not like you two aren't always in life-threatening situations as it is, why should it be different if it's me? One little night of messing around does not a horrible mistake make. So back off." I then headed inside.

I then went back to the couch to continue reading about narwhals, just when Jake stood in front of the coffee table. He sighed and said, "Alright, I'll admit, I overreacted a little. But it's only natural for me to get worried. After all, I'm more of a brother to him than you've ever been." I then laid the open book and my lap and said, "Excuse me?" Jake then continued, "Well, I've been with him most of his life, and was raised as a brother to him. I figured..." I sighed and bluntly said, "No, Jake. You don't know what you're talking about." I then set the book down and headed upstairs to hang around with Finn. I found him slouched over on his bed, visibly disgruntled. I said, "Hey bro, what's the problem?" as I entered. He replied, "Did I do something wrong?" I then calmly replied, "Naw man, Jake's just a little worried is all. You didn't do anything wrong." I sat beside him on the bed as he sat leaning forward. He said to me, "About last night..." I thought to myself, "Oh boy, here it comes..." Finn then replied, "Well... it's just... I... I liked the experience as a whole, it's just that I've never done that with a girl before." I then reached to the underside of the bed where I had been stowing a bottle of ginger beer for some odd reason. I sipped as Finn continued, "I didn't wanna leave because I wanted to go a little further with that process." As I capped the bottle and placed it down. I chuckled and said, "Jeez, you already went all night, what more did you want?" I sipped once more.

Finn continued, "So there's this one princess I've got a thing for, Flame Princess..." I then spit out the ginger beer I was drinking right into Finn's face. He then preceded to wipe it off vigorously. I held my hands out upward and said, "Whoa, bro, you don't want to do that. Trust me, it won't be fun, nor will it be pleasant." He then looked at me for a good three seconds. I replied, "Moral to the story: don't play with fire." Another awkward silence took place, which I broke with, "But uh... whatever suits you, I guess." I swigged some more of that delicious ginger beverage as that awkward silence filled the air. I broke that silence by saying, "So uh... how's about another late-night adventure?" Finn replied, "I don't know." I then tried to coerce him by saying, "It's gonna be fun..." Finn did not respond. I shrugged and walked out of the room, but quickly snuck back into Finn's room and said, "Oh, come get yourself a sandwich. It's time for lunch."

The nourishment was palatable. Afterwards, we hung around the house, minding our own business, allowing me to work on my whittling, and come sundown, the fun would begin once more. Finn and I rolled out of his bedroom window safely into the bushes, making a firm landing without a scratch on either of us. I said to him, attempting to sound like a fancy Englishman, "Well, brother, what ever have you planned for the night?" Finn replied, "Let's go by Marceline's. She's probably up at this hour." I objected, "Nah, I was thinking something a little more actiony. Something more mano y mano. But what?" It was then that a metaphorical lightbulb shone over my head. "I've got it! There's a nice little place I figured we could mess around for the night." We followed the trail to the abandoned Reaper territory, where I spent many a day pondering the history of those brutal killers and observing their creative input. It was cursed, however, but luckily, I had a solution. We arrived on spot, a good par four golf course away from the entrance. I pulled out of my satchel an idol of light and goodness I had whittled in my spare time and attached a necklace chain to. I handed it to Finn and said, "Bro, wear this. It'll keep you safe from the curse of the Reapers." He then said to me, "What about you?" I pulled out a second idol and said, "A good craftsman always comes prepared." I donned this idol and readied my daggers once more, this time having both of them out.

To elaborate about these idols, the Reapers are figures of darkness who exist for no reason other than to kill and to spread chaos. Their mortal enemy is the opposite of all of these things, an unnamed figure of light and harmony who goes by many names, among these are Healer, The Morning Sun, and Purity, to name a few. It is written that any likeness of this entity will repel a Reaper and protect its bearer from certain doom, and in some cases, may kill a Reaper. Many places of interest throughout parts of Ooo built large statues and structures in and on buildings, in living rooms, in city squares, and such as a traditional means of keeping Reapers at bay. I whittle in my spare time, carving figures of things that interest me, many of people and things and places from ancient history. Sometimes I whittle people I know and love. Just a little hobby that has gifted me with a small amount of foresight; but enough of that, let's get back to the story.

We were both armed and ready to strike at any second. We stood back-to-back and paced through that barren wasteland, filled with skeletons, both laying on the ground and hanging through ropes or pikes, as well as dead trees. Also scattered throughout the area were structures of the figure of darkness that the Reapers worship. An eery silence filled the air as we sheathed our blades. I dug two fingers into the soil and crumbled the dirt between my thumb and the two fingers. I then exhaled onto my dirt-laden extremities, pressing them together once more, and gave an affirming "mm-hmm". Finn then asked me, "What is it, bro?" I replied, "The soil has preserved itself well. Reapers, Reapers everywhere. We might wanna leave, these idols can only do their job for so long. Plus, some hot cocoa sounds good just about now. Let's head over to Marceline's and play it safe."

So we ventured forth to the fortress of one Marceline the Vampire Queen and were treated with a warm welcome. Hot chocolate was indeed provided, and it was a rousing visit, full of humorous remarks and social commentary, as well as minimalist conversation about the state of things. Little did I expect for my makeshift wood idol to start glowing with the essence of the Reapers. I looked down at it in confusion and then quickly averted my eyes back to Marceline as she sipped her cocoa. I then stared at Finn's idol and lowered my eyelids in suspicion. The idol only seemed to have a smidget of the essence in it from what the naked eye could see. I jerked my head back towards my cocoa and continued to sip from it. I kept my silence as that casual get-together continued and my brother and I were eventually out the door. We got back to the treehosue in time and were off to bed. I tidied my spot on the couch where I slept at night and placed my idol down on the coffee table to observe it. I twiddled my fingers and observed that purplish black smog swirl around the carving for a good few minutes before noticing Finn coming downstairs to get a glass of water. I then quickly rushed upstairs to his room to take notice of his idol before he could notice me. I made it to the room in time, crouching down in one corner out of sight and gazed upon the statuette. It was glowing slightly moreso than before, but the amount of smog emerging from it was noticeably greater than before.

Finn then entered the room, and my heart started racing. I was holding back my hyperventilating and crunched up tightly so he didn't notice me. He got into his sleeping bag and started to doze off. It was a battle of wits, waiting for that moment when I knew he would be asleep and I could escape his room. To pass the time, I took notice of the idol and carefully watched as it just barely illuminated that corner of the room with its mysterious fog. I wondered what it could possibly mean if these idols, which were to have supposed immunity to the Reapers, stood no chance against them. I eventually grew sore from slouching forward and quietly exited the room. I made it to the living room sofa and threw myself onto it, sighing in relief. Just as I had closed my eyes, a deep, booming voice filled the room. "Archimedes the Atoner... Archimedes the Atoner... why have you forsaken us?" I then looked around and found in the corner of my eye and near the doorway an astral projection of a Reaper's ghost, wearing a hooded cloak, hands dripping with the blood of a fresh kill. I was nervous. I asked, shuddering, "Who are you?"

The figure walked towards me and used his power to throw me and pin me against the wall. He lowered his cloak's hood, and there I knew who he was. It was the Reaper that had used his blinding stare to curse me with those powers all those years ago and made me into a monster, the one I killed with my own hands. He said, in a menacing, but quiet voice, "You were the last hope for the Reaper race. You took it upon yourself to wipe us off of the face of the planet. I was sent as a messenger of hope, for you to reconsider and join our orders. It worked, at the cost of all of our people. You never perfected your power, but you used it well. It seems that your kin was given the power at your hands, and he was strong. He fought it despite losing his mind. He was a welcome Reaper, truly the revitalization we so desperately needed. You did not let that come into fruition. For that, you must pay."

I shuddered in fear, hyperventilating. I replied, "Please, no! Not my brother! He's all I've got in this world! He's my only family!" The aparition then replied, "So be it. You have 72 hours to consider this decision. When 72 hours is over, you pay the price." I then replied, "Wait... you don't know any beautiful women, do you?" The aparition slapped his palm upon his face and said, "Wow... just wow. Really? We see everything, you can't outsmart us. So yeah, make up your mind, Archimedes." After an awkward five seconds of silence, I yelled out in anger, "Archimedes was my father! My name is Rufus!" The Reaper's ghost came back into the house and said, "Yeah, we know. It's just code we use your Reaper name when talking to you." He then exited once more.

I thought to myself, how could the idol be ineffective against an actual Reaper? Did I not construct it correctly? Were all those stories just old wives' tales? Have the Reapers evolved into such an advanced state that they are strong against them? What could this possibly mean?

It was the perfect conflict; old habits coming back to you and trying to make things worse, the ultimate life-or-death decision. Truly, I had to live up to my family name, and face full life consequences.

TO BE CONTINUED... 


	2. Chapter 2

I didn't sleep much the night the messenger came. It wasn't insomnia, I just woke up in the middle of the night and decided I didn't want to go back to sleep. I stepped out of the treehouse and into the garage I had built for Finn and Jake as a way of saying "thank you" for all we'd been through. In it sat the motorcycle I gave Finn when he turned to the side of evil that I had been on for so long. It still had the power of evil built into every gear, but that was nothing a little wire stripping and fuse cutting couldn't rectify.

I looked upon the motorcycle and thought back to those days, envoking memories on my evil ways and slaughtering of innocents. I sighed and turned my head away, taking a can of soda out of the mini-fridge and opened it, but did not start to drink it. I placed it down and crossed my arms as I examined this motorcycle one last time. It was then that Finn had walked through the door, still in his street clothes, and asked, "Rufus, what are you doing up so late?"

I then replied, "Well, I was just awake. Wanted to see if this old friend of mine was still running." Finn then said nothing. I continued, "You wanna come for a ride with me? It's a beautiful night outside."

Finn shrugged and hopped onto the backseat of the motorcycle. I donned my helmet, turned the key, and revved as I zoomed out the garage door, which then closed automatically. I rode along the motorcycle path, which I had had built for the Land of Ooo with money I had generously rose through charity work, and observed the summer sky. The morning sun was just barely starting to creep out into the morning sky, but it was still somewhat dark outside, and people were still asleep.

We rode verily. Finn said to me somewhere down the line, "Hey, have you ever thought that the morning sun has some kind of hidden power?" I kept focus on the path and said, "I don't know. Why?" Finn continued, "Well, every morning when I wake up, it's a new day, and I always feel that there's so much potential for how it can go, and, well..." I then interrupted him and said, "It's too early to be speaking that philosophy nonsense."

It was then we found ourselves in the middle of a cornfield, which at that point I decided to turn around and head home. Just then, a figure that appeared to be a gardener looked towards me. I stopped the motorcycle and kicked the kickstand down, signaling for Finn to stay put. I shouted, "Sir, can I help you? You seem lost." The figure said, "I'm not lost. I'm just wandering." I walked closer to the figure and said, "Well, these corn fields don't really belong to you. You shouldn't be messing with other people's crops."

The figure then drew a scythe literally out of nowhere and said in a quiet and menacing tone, "You best be careful. I don't handle strangers very well." I froze in my tracks and slowly backed away. He then continued, "Archimedes..." I drew one of my scimitar daggers in my right hand and stood guard. He stepped towards me as I drew the other one. He continued, speaking in a calm manner, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. I just want to talk." I then sheathed both daggers and payed attention to what he had to say.

"I'm sorry I inconvenienced you last night. I really don't want you to do anything to become one of us again. I'm just following orders." I held my face with two fingers and shook it in exasperation. I removed my glasses and said, "You have free will, don't you? Is that not what a man can only have so much of in this mortal world? You are a disembodied spirit. You are free. You are roaming. Why do you choose to haunt if you know you are as free as a bird, and you cannot be changed?"

The figure then pulled a chocolate bar out of his cloak pocket and handed it to me, which I then pocketed. The figure replied, "So be it. The name's Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh the Ambassador. I've been wanting to get out of the Reapers' hands since the day I became one of them. I don't even remember who I was before I lost myself. You are special, Archimedes the Atoner, for you retain your memories. I am at your command, and here is my token of gratitude." Gilgamesh then pulled out my two idols and held them in his hands, engulfing them in blue flames. They were now glowing with a light blue aura. They then materialized as beams of light and fused to my daggers and Finn's sword, respectively. He continued, "Now you may call upon me whenever in need. Just hold your weapon to the sky with your arm erect and it will shoot out a beam of light that signals me to appear. We shall meet again."

I walked back toward the motorcycle. Finn asked, "Who was that?" I hastily replied, "It doesn't matter, have some chocolate." I handed him the bar, which he awkwardly hid in his hat with a shrug. Some conversation followed. Finn asked me, "So, bro, what was with that thing you said about my hair when we met?" I thought, and I attempted to conjure a reply. I followed, "Eh... I was out of my mind. I just wanted to coerce you." Finn continued, "And you've been growing your hair since you've turned good?" I replied, "Well, it's grown, but it only seems to be growing on one side." An awkward silence followed. I continued, "Listen, when we get home, I've got something I want to show you."

We rode on home, taking note of the scenery that stood before us. It was glorious, with the morning sun bursting out of the eastern sky through the clouds and the lush forests and streams glistening ever so seamlessly in the light. Birds were chirping, a slight breeze was blowing, and woodpeckers were tapping into the trees rhythmically. The morning air smelled of freshly cut grass and flowers of all types. The sensory input of these things was a refreshing touch to what would otherwise be a forgettable day.

We arrived back at our humble abode at the break of dawn. As usual, Finn ran right back up to his room and went back to sleep, while I sat at my desk and I tried to connect the dots of information I had gathered. I still had that tome of pre-apocalyptic studies and post-apocalyptic investigations of every day life, with all kinds of interesting tidbits shoved in there, and I figured I'd shove a new journal entry into it for old time's sake. I rocked back in my chair and boredly stared into space for a few seconds. I took a sip of the tonic water that had been sitting on my desk all night and was now flat. I stuck my tongue out in disgust and dumped the water into the potted plant I had in the corner of the wall nearby.

After skimming through years of collected data and browsing through the vast library of Reaper studies I had accumulated, I read over classes and ranks of Reapers. I found nothing on the Ambassador class. It was then I read over a list of Reapers I had found from looting their censuses and found no entry on the name "Gilgamesh," let alone an Ambassador class Reaper. I also found it strange how his spirit was walking the earth and not resting in the Reaper realm. I wrote in my entry on him, "Seems unusual, further research required." I looked upon my newly enchanted daggers and pondered calling upon him, but then realiZed that it may not be a good idea to call upon him just to ask him a bunch of questions. I then ended my studies for the evening and rested on the couch. It was then remembered I was supposed to show Finn something important and ran up the stairs immediately, storming into his room.

I panted and said, "Finn, I forgot I was gonna show you something." Finn tiredly groaned and said, "Can it wait until morning?" I then grabbed him by his hat once more and sternly said, "Morning can wait until morning. You, on the other hand, cannot. This is important." Finn then said, "Okay, fine. Just show me whatever that thing was." I then pulled a video cartridge player out of my bag and inserted a prized video cartridge of mine. The holographic video started to project. Finn was surprised, in pure awe, speechless. The projection was of none other than our own mother. Having already viewed it a number of times, I expressed no such expression. My mother appeared to be a beautiful woman, albeit one under stress. You could see the conflict in her eyes and on her face. She was under circumstances where there was no easy solution.

The message went as this; our mother sat in front of a camera as she said, "Rufus, Finn, my two sons, I love you with all of my heart. It pains me to say what I have to say, but hard times are upon us. The Reapers are not merry men. They seek human blood, a valuable resource to them. I am sacrificing myself to the Reapers to protect both of you, my little angels. Rufus, you are to be sent with your father to his home planet. He will keep you safe from the Reapers, for they only seek to reign over this planet. Finn, my baby, I have arranged with a nice family of dogs to have them adopt you and raise you. Have no fear, their profile is low and out of sight of the Reapers. Just... just so you know..." She then forcibly held back some tears. "I love you, both of you. You're all I have left in this world. Make me proud. Make your respective fathers proud. Just... just..." Tears then started to drip down slowly and profusely from her face. "Just know that your mother loves you with all her heart, and..." She could barely speak. "I don't wanna go. I don't want to leave you boys. From the day Rufus was born, I knew that I was going to be a happy mother. I only wish that we could be together longer. Make hell, boys. Make your mother proud." She then sniffed, all tears gone, and exhaled. She jerked her head, and proceded with the final words. "Alright, so you know what happened. I hope our paths cross again some day, my two sons. Adios."

I then said, "Hmm. I thought I was the only one who knew that word." as the video ended. Finn then looked towards me. "I have a feeling she's still out there," he said as he latched off of me. "We have to find her." I sighed and said, "No, Finn. She's gone. She gave her life so that we could live. There's no hope in finding any traces of her." Just then, Gilgamesh stormed in by phasing through the floor into the room. "Ah, but I happen to have resources," he said. "The Reapers have been rumored to have been harboring humans for research purposes. I know nothing of this, as I was not involved in the project, but there's no doubt that your mother was a test subject. There's a chance she might still be alive. After all, what's the purpose getting rid of something that constantly produces a product you need?" Finn asked, "Why do they need human blood?" Gilgamesh replied, "Nobody knows, kid. Nobody knows. Come with me."

We then followed Gilgamesh back into Reaper Territory, in a force field he had safely deployed to avoid further pesterings from the Reapers' spirits. Before we knew it, there we were, at the abandoned fortress of the Reapers. It was amazing to see all this ancient architecture intact after years and years without any interaction whatsoever. The interior was humonogous, resembling a hospital or research laboratory, only worn away by the sands of time. Of course, it did resemble the stereotypical medieval fortress in other places, as well, but regardless, it was a spectacle.

We walked, and before we knew it, we found ourselves caught in a cage that had fallen from the ceiling. Another Reaper's spirit drew towards us and cracked his ghost knuckles as he stared upon us with one of his cheeks puffed. "Oh, hey. This place isn't dead after all," said the Reaper. "How you guys doing?" he said happily. Gilgamesh then drew his aura out of our blades and confronted the other reaper. "Fellow brethren, I do believe these captors belong to me," said Gilgamesh. The other reaper groaned and said, "Gilgamesh, you're always speaking so hoity-toity, like a rich hotshot or something. Lighten up, speak like a normal guy." Gilgamesh then turned his head down and sighed. "Hey, cheer up. I'm just trying to help you." Gilgamesh replied, "Yes, yes. Erm... I do believe it's been some time since I've navigated these corridors, have you a map of some sort?" The other Reaper scoffed.

"Map? We got those things in our heads! Why do you need a map?" Gilgamesh cleared his throat, "Ahem," and pointed in our direction. "Oh yeah." The Reaper then materialized a nicely labeled floor plan and handed it to me telekinetically. "Enjoy your stay." He then floated off into elsewhere as Gilgamesh freed us from the cage, making it disappear in the blink of an eye. "That was close," I said. We then wandered through the halls as I looked for any possible sign of a hiding place - a closet, a basement, a cellar, anything that could be used to harbor a prisoner of some sort. We stumbled upon a prisoner who had long since gone mad from slowly rotting away in a prison cell. I asked him if he knew where others were being kept. He replied, "I ain't seen nothing. I've been in this one cell block for 20 years, ain't seen sunlight since I grew my first moustache hair. These guys are crazy, I tell ya. They don't care 'bout nothing or no one, no how." He then began cackling and rambling on about political agendas and betrayed lovers, to which we only walked away and paid no mind to.

We searched the decrepit laboratory, tearing down the mildew-coated walls and searching left and right for any signs of life, but alas, we found nothing. We then turned back and headed a different way, only to be apprehended by a group of three guard Reapers with ghost batons. "Stop right there!" We then froze in our tracks as they approached us. "Well, if it isn't the madman who wiped us all out and took our name. Your supporters were among the lowest of the low."

I then yelled, "What I did was within reason! You have a history of torture, cruelty, countless killings of innocent people. There was no option but to put an end to your reign of terror." The pack leader replied, "Oh? Innocent?" I replied, "Yeah! Like that guy who's been here since he was a kid, the one alone in his cell block." He followed, "He was not innocent. He shot up his school and burned down his parents' house. He was always mad. We only put him to justice by taking him captive and removing him from society. If you look at our track record, which we know you have, considering your vast knowledge of our history, you'd see our purpose was not to kill, but to purify the world and to save dying cultures and traditions, exempli gratia, humans. We took an assertive approach to make sure that people and groups with heartless, cruel, sadistic intentions are brought to justice so that one dying group, exempli gratia, humans, could thrive once more. Had you not slaughtered us ruthlessly, there'd be more humans. How do you feel?"

I paused in my tracks. I tried to think. I blurted out, "Your words mean nothing, you fool." They followed, "No, you are the fool. You claim to be educated, but you have mere textbook knowledge of us. Now go away, we're missing our soaps." They then disappeared into thin air as we scavenged the ruins. After stepping on a tile in the ground, a booby trap was activated. We were caged once more. I then awkwardly stated, "So did you know that the last of the Reapers were actually hybrids of humans and pure Reapers? Pure Reapers died out a long time ago, and to keep their legacy alive, they found other species to breed with. It's rather fascinating, really."

Gilgamesh bluntly said, "So you basically screwed over the chances of keeping the human gene alive... by killing us all? Wow, that's... happening." He then snapped his fingers and made the cage disappear. At the ground, I found several fake tiles that were easily removed from the flooring. I tore through the foundation and discovered a ladder. I said, "The bastards." Gilgamesh replied, "Excuse me?" "Oh, no offense to you." Just then, we heard the sound of someone noisily munching away at an apple. It was none other than Jake, who had been following us this whole time.

"Hey, guys." He then took another bite of the apple. "What, am I late to the party?" I noticed a group of Reapers' ghosts eerily standing behind him. "Um... Jake, you might want to look behind you," said Finn. "Oh, don't worry, Finn," said Jake, "These guys are cool with me. They got no beef with dogs. Right?" The Reaper directly behind him said, "Yes, we are... 'cool' with you." They continued, "We must depart. There are duties to attend to. Oh, and, Archimedes... this is for you."

The Reapers tossed me a communicator that was to be worn over one eye. It had a mouthpiece to talk into and displayed numbers relating to the setting and objects one was looking at. I'd call it a scouter, but Toei wouldn't be very happy about that.

I donned the communicator and looked at the Reapers as they disappeared into the distance. Just then, a signal popped up on the communicator. "You should probably leave. Come back later. We have what you want." So we did just that.

Later came, after a quick stop for schawarma in the Schawarma Kingdom, and lo and behold, a new path unfurled that led to a basement-level research facility. It was dark and damp, but there was nonetheless activity. The reapers that had accompanied Jake earlier stood waiting for us. They said in unison to us, "We have awaited your presence ever so. Have some tea and cookies. We shall converse with you."

We sat down. I picked up the kettle and poured some of the earth-colored liquid into the cup and tasted it. It was bland, but at least it was hot and quenching. The cookies were palatable, though. Chocolate layered bars, they were, and a compliment to the forgettable brewed nothingness.

They said to me, "Archimedes the Atoner..." I replied, "It's Rufus."

"No. That is your mortal name, the name that your mortal parents bestowed upon you when you were bore from your mother's loins. For you see, your father, who took the name of our lord, was a friend to the Reapers. He promised to bring this world a child of greatness and prosperity, one that would symbolize a new beginning for this wasteland, an era of enlightenment. Our god and our atoner, Archimedes, was a man of ancient times who sought to end the age of destruction and rebuild this world from the ground up. He was the Atoner because he sought to atone for the wickedness of man and make a new name for the beings of Ooo. We prayed to Archimedes day after day, hoping he would see to our demands, and on the day you were born, we heard a noise from the heavens. A noise that was loud, booming, yet melodious. Our saviour was born. However, all was not right. The Lich found his way into the child's spirit and fused a part of himself with that of Archimedes. That is how you grew to become so overly destructive. The amalgam of greatness and pure chaos created a dual form for you, a second half that would bring forth destruction and discord. Signs have emerged, such as your horrible reign as the false Reaper Archimedes the Atoner, not to be confused with our divine god and creator, who created and formed the Reapers to purify and cleanse the world of all wickedness and madness."

Finn then said, "Huh?" The Reapers followed, "Basically, our god is containedw within your brother, and part of the Lich is also in him, and now he has an evil twin who will break free at any moment if things aren't in control." "Oh," said Finn.

I followed, "But I don't understand. What does this has to do with my mother?" The voice of a woman then called, "That's exactly what I've always wondered, my darling young one." She then walked into frame. Despite being well into her forties, she appeared still a young woman and beautiful as ever, with long, flowing blond hair and a face ever so ponderous.

Finn uttered, "Mom?" The woman continued, "And you, my blue-eyed son, my youngest. I am sorry for abandoning you all those years ago, but for the sake of mankind, I had to do what I had to do. I am proud of you. But you, my oldest, I am most ashamed. You were to be a man of great fortune, but instead you were a tyrant who sought only to kill. You have shamed this fine order of people, and taken their lives, at that. How could you? All that your father had hoped for, thrown out the window. All that knowledge, all that wordliness, wasted. Wasted on raising hell and living like a demon. But perhaps I am being too hard. The other side of you, The Lich's soul intertwined with that of the great Archimedes, has penetrated into you. You have purified yourself of the Reapers' power, which contained that of The Lich. Or have you?"

I then started to feel a pain deep within my chest. I began to hyperventilate and sweat profusely, and when I had least expected, a beam of light shot out of my mouth and bore its way into the rock walls of the facility. It was painful; I was paralyzed in agony the whole time as the power drew itself from inside of me.

Mother went on, "I see. The power is finally working its way back. This can either mean that the great things are to come once more, or you are to be the wicked, twisted mastermind that you once were." The Reapers verified, "Ma'am, we are pleased to tell you that your son shall be in for the greatest moment of his life at any time soon.

I lay on the ground, exhausted and recovering from a piercing headache and some heartburn. Finn and Jake came to my side. They helped me up and I dusted myself off. I said to my mother, "Alright, mom, so you know. I'm not exactly proud of what I've done, nor do I intend for it to happen again, but all this Reaper stuff is just getting out of hand. All the research I've done never said this would happen."

The Reapers followed, "Mortal recordings of our written word are of no significance. You are scholarly, intellectual at that, but you are a mere human. You plagued your own race by destroying the last surviving hope for them. You kept to knowledge of that which you meant only to destroy. Our prophecy states that the evil half will materialize, and will duel to the death with the good half of Archimedes's reborn form. Prepare yourself, one called Archimedes, for your last breath shall not be at the hands of your dark side."

"But how?"

Silence filled the air. Everyone looked upon me as I pondered my way out of this dilemma. I rose my scimitars skyward. Magical lightning struck down upon them. I could feel the blood pumping through my veins as my muscles expanded and my stamina heightened. I felt like I could take on the biggest, strongest monster in all of Ooo without breaking a sweat. The Reapers then cast a bolt of light toward me and I reverted back to my basic form. They said, "You will use that power when the time is nigh and you are at the edge of the world. But for now, your mind is your only coach. You may leave now." We then made our way out.

"As for you, human female, we feel that you have fulfilled your servitude to the Reapers and must return to your family. It has been a pleasure having you with us." Mother then sighed and dashed toward the three of us; me, Finn, and Jake.

Finn and I gave her a good look in the eye. She said to us, "You don't know how long I've waited to be with my own flesh and blood. The Reapers have drained me of what is important most in life: hospitality." Finn replied, "So... what happens now?"

"Well, Finn, things aren't gonna change much. You'll still have Jake to mess around with, but Rufus has got a lot to prepare for. He's practically the last hope for this world, and he hasn't exactly been responsible about it. We're the last humans in the world. We might as well live up to the dream."

This was the start of a new dream, and a way to usher in the world's new age of greatness. There was no turning back now. 


	3. Chapter 3

We were meeting at a fine restaurant for dinner, which Mother agreed to buy for us in celebrating this day. With all this going on and whatnot, you know, all that and a bag of chips, what with having to go through with some nonsensical destiny, my mom pressuring me to go through with it, quite frankly, I was quite annoyed. Looking down, I groaned quietly. Mother said to me, "You alright, son?" I said to her, sighing, "It's nothing, mom. Really, I'm fine." She followed, "I understand how you feel, honey, but you have to do what the Reapers say, otherwise there could be consequences for all of Ooo," she said. I wiped my brow and messed with my hair. She went on, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you any of this any sooner." I said nothing. "Things were going rough those thirteen or so years ago, and we had to do what had to be done. As for your stepfather, it seems he just wasn't fit for the new world. No one, not me, not the Reapers, not any of the wise men and women all over Ooo have any traces of his presence anywhere. He's a man of mystery."

Her exposition was a clever attempt at provoking thought, but alas, I was not moved. Finn, on the other hand, was all too happy to hear about his father's life of adventure and mystery, and I guess it was kind of charming, but for me, I wanted nothing to do with the guy. Even my own mother was beyond my concern at that point in time, but I still loved her and cared for her, even if I'd grown tired of this secrecy and conspiracy.

The waiter came and asked us, "What'll you have to drink?" We all ordered our drinks. I fancied myself some herbal tea. It was a step or so above the Reapers' tea-colored water, but not something I would drink by a fireplace in a winter evening. Complimentary bread and butter was a staple for restaurants of this type, and although Finn and Jake consider themselves big eaters, Mother and I have more refined appetites, although that's not to say indulgencies are nonexistent. Finn and Jake told Mother about all of their crazy misadventures and meddlings around over the years while I simply sipped my tea and pondered this whole situation. I was beginning to hear within me a spiritual sound, one that symbolized mental preparation and the will to achieve. It is hard to describe, as it was a strange mix between wind chimes, the ocean, and a gong, but it didn't sound exactly like any of them, almost as if it were distorted and played on an old record player. I rested my head upon my palm and sighed. Just then, the waiter wanted to know what we were going to eat. I ordered a bowl of soup, nothing more. Wasn't really hungry considering all I was going through, that, and the shawarma I found myself treating our new Reaper friend to not long before. Meanwhile, Finn and Jake were all too happy ordering house specials overstuffed with behemoth entrees and tidal wave side dishes, while Mother simply wanted salad. The waiter took our menus and continued to the kitchen, while the four of us continued on, or at least Finn, Jake, and Mother. Mother began to divulge upon her connections with the Reapers and how horrified she was hearing about the Slaughtering, which gave me painful flashbacks to the decrepit government I had created and the exile I found myself living through.

I began to remember those days of exile. It was mental torture, considering I was slowly losing myself, and had already made a big mistake in wronging the people. I had been wandering for days, and was beginning to lose enthusiasm and courage. The hot sun beat down, and I passed out. When I woke up, I was in the middle of a small desert village in the care of some feral children. What a relief it was, considering I was still somewhat in my right mind and that since I was torn from my family, I practically had a surrogate family in them. They splashed water upon my face and had safely gotten me to their "home base", or so they called it. It was none more than a few tents and boxes for them to play on, with girls on one side, boys on another, children bickering, children playing, as always. They were nice children, perhaps the first real friends I had made for quite some time. In that short time, so much time was spent talking, laughing, enjoying ourselves, and such. All in all, it was nice meeting them, but I had to get going. As a token of gratitude to these kind young souls who would help out a lost cause like me, I gave them some of my rations of food for them to snack on. They looked up to me, and hugged me. I smiled, patting their heads and backs, telling them that I'd hope to meet them again, and from there I continued walking the stretches of this island earth, forever lost within my corrupted and misguided mind. Truly, my bungles had been bangled, and from what I could tell, things couldn't get any better than they were at that time. Godspeed, you little rugrats. Wherever you are, never forget the crazy man in the cloak that gave you those snacks. I'll always be with you.

I snapped back to reality and caught a glimpse of the waiter with my soup and my mother's salad. They came toward our table and laid it down, then going back to their stations as usual. My soup looked rather appetizing, steaming and nicely plated in a white ceramic cup. It was a vegetable soup in a tomato broth, something that I wasn't overtly fond of, but nonetheless would eat if I had to. I scooped my spoon into the mixture, gathering up a small amount of corn, lentils, tomatoes, and a green bean or two. I blew on the piping hot spoonful and moved it to my mouth. It was a little too hot, and I immediately snapped back in shock. My eyes were wide open, and my tongue was burning. My first instinct was to grab a drink, but considering my tea was hot, and thus would not help at all, I ignored. It was quite a sensation, my face sweating, my face jittering, et cetera. I swallowed the food in my mouth, which had cooled down somewhat. It began to burn the inside of my throat and gave me heartburn for a second or two as it went into my system. I breathed in and out heavily a few times after going through this intense process.

"You okay, Rufus?" said my mother. "Yeah. Peachy keen." Mother continued, "Oh, that reminds me, once, I went on a peach harvest with the Reapers, let me tell you, that was really fun, I must've eaten my body weight in peaches that week." I awkwardly replied, "Yes. I'm sure it was... merriment for you." Finn was digging into his steak, inhaling every bite as if he were a trash compactor. Mother said to him, "Now, Finn, eat slowly, and chew your food." Finn forlornly replied, "Yes, mom." Jake then said, "So, Finn's mom, what were things like with you and my parents?" Mother then rubbed Jake's head back and forth as if she were giving him a noogie and said, "Well, Jake, your parents and I were very good friends. They were drinking buddies with Finn's father, but I got to know them through bowling. I tell you, Jake, your parents were the best bowlers in all of Ooo. I bowled with them for five years, and not once, no matter how hard I tried, could I match their perfection. Oh, to be young again." Mother then continued eating her salad as Jake awkwardly dug into his baked potato, looking side to side before taking a bite out of it and shrugging.

Finn then said to her, "And... what about... my dad?" Sipping on her water, she looked toward Finn and sighed. She said to him, "Well, Finn, your father and I were the best of friends, and we were happy to have you as a son. It wasn't easy being the only humans in Ooo, and we often dealt with some... discrimination, to put it safely. The Reapers have always frightened me, but they came to our doorstep one day, and we learned that they're not such bad people, and that they actually are well-intended, if somewhat extreme in their efforts. Your father wasn't very happy about all this, and just up and left us that day. I never saw him again. I figured they would be our only way to make it in the world, and, well, I guess things went a little differently than what I hoped." She began twiddling her hair with her finger. "The Reapers are very uptight about using their powers for things like bringing people back from the dead, or making someone fall in love with you, or even making money, and I've never had the guts to ask them if they can help find your father." I rolled my eyes and looked away, annoyed at the praise my mother was given to that sad excuse for a parental unit. Regardless, she followed, "Now, Rufus, I know you're not entirely welcoming of your stepfather, but for Finn here, there's so much lost time for him to make up for, and there's no better time than now to do just that." She continued, "Anyway, just be glad you have me for the time being, and until we can get back to your father, I'll always have my place in the city for you to come to." I curiously asked her, "The city?" To this, she continued, "Yeah! There's a really great apartment complex near the thoroughfare of The Candy Kingdom. Really welcoming of non-Candy People, and not a ghetto or crime-filled area, at that. Sanctioned by Princess Bubblegum herself." I followed, "And you know about this how?" She replied, "Oh, I've just had a lot of free time all these years, so I look at real estate ads in the paper and see where would be my perfect getaway." I continued, "Yeah, but, wouldn't you like a place near the beach instead? I mean, the Candy Kingdom isn't exactly a place for-" She angrily replied, "Isn't exactly a place for what?" Realizing that I might have ticked her off a little, I nervously followed, "N-nothing. Just, you know, whatever suits you." She sternly replied, "That's what I thought you said."

She continued eating her salad and I awkwardly looked upon the dining room, hoping to find a familiar face to pay my attention to. Alas, no such face could be found, and since my soup was no longer as hot as the surface of the sun, I figured it could safely be eaten without the hassle that earlier ensued. I sighed, and scooped spoonful after spoonful of vegetables and broth into my mouth. The rest of the dinner went quietly, and we left the venue sufficed and nourished, ready as ever to go home, only for Mother to announce her housewarming party. I groaned, knowing that this evening was going to be a waste of my time anyway, and it was only adding injury to insult forcing me to pretend I was enjoying myself. But enough about how I felt before going to the party, let's tell you about how I was at the party.

So there we were, at Mom's new house, right? It was a surprise party, people from all over the Candy Kingdom, as well as Candy Kingdom royalty, including Princess Bubblegum herself, of course, happy to see her and the rest of us and overall just boogie the night away. Sounds fun, right? Well, to be honest, it wasn't the worst experience I could recall, but I felt that I'd rather have been attending to my nonsensical destiny than partying. Princess Bubblegum came up to me, in her yellow dress, in a good mood, smiling, and said to me, "Thanks again, Rufus. If it weren't for what you did on that day, I don't know what would be happening right now." I sighed once more and replied, "Well, PB, I guess I really learned a thing or two that day. But right now, I'm just not in the mood to talk." Princess Bubblegum looked at me, somewhat concerned that I was rather agitated, and said to me, in a calming manner, "Rufus, are you okay? You want some punch?" "No, no, that's fine, I'm good, really." She followed, "You can talk to me. I'm here for you." I turn my head back to her and shrug. I then fake a smile and say, "Well, I'm supposed to be dealing with my dual form, my evil side, if you will, and I'm supposed to be stopping him from engulfing Ooo in chaos. He is the reason why you met with a terrible fate that day. I, on the other hand, am the embodiment of a soul of good, and intend to bring none more than harmony. It's a Jekyll/Hyde scenario, really not something that puts me in the mood to party." She simply replied, "Oh." Knowing she is absolutely clueless and dumbfounded, I said to her, "Yeah, it's a messed up situation, but hey, every day above ground's a good one." She then chuckled and said, "Good one, Rufus. Come on, it's time to slow dance." I then rose an eyebrow astoundedly and said to her, "Me? Slow dance? With you?" She then replied happily, and willingly, "Yeah, silly! Your mom planned a slow dance for all the attendees, and quite frankly, I think you need a break from worrying about your evil twin right now. It'll be fun." I hesitatedly replied, "B-but..." She then grabbed me by the arms and starting swaying slowly and stepping in rhythm. I blushed, knowing a pretty girl was in my arms and everyone was looking at me, but this pretty girl just happened to be a victim of my misdeeds, and considering how hard I worked to regain my positive image, it seemed to easy to screw everything up. I then started moving with her motions and shook my head, smiling. I then thought to myself, "So this is how my journey to stop myself from destroying myself begins. Dancing with a princess. Not bad, me, not bad." After some good time spent slow dancing and for once, having no stressful thoughts on my mind, the song ended, and people were clapping and cheering. Finn and Jake looked toward me, and signaled with a thumbs up. I then looked toward both of them and nodded my head, eyebrows lowered, in approval. I then latched off of this beautiful candy princess and said to her, "Well, that was actually rather nice. If you need me, I'll be over there, with Finn and Jake." I then walked away, and poured myself a glass of punch, sipping it casually and overall feeling accomplished. Mother then said to me, "I always imagined you'd grow up to be quite the lady's man, Rufus."

I then blushed again, chuckling awkwardly and looking toward the floor, kicking. She continued, "You're really becoming more and more like your father." I calmly replied, "Thanks." She then followed, "No, really. Your moves on the dance floor, they remind me so much of your father and I danced at our wedding. That was a night I'll never forget. You may be such a screwball, but damn it, you know how to charm a lady." I then straightforwardly laughed, "Ha." and looked up at the clock on the well. Mother then said to our group, "Oh, look at the time! You boys should be headed home now. Run along now, don't forget to call!" Finn then shouted as we walked out the door, "Sure, mom!" He then loosened his bowtie and started twirling it in the air as we walked into the night, staring into the night sky and the waxing moon, saying nothing, but feeling proud of ourselves. As they say, you done good, Hasselhoff. You done good. I then said, "Race you guys home." Finn then shouted, "Yeah!" as Jake followed, "You're on!" We then dashed toward the treehouse as fast as we could, making sure to not stop in our tracks even once as we sprinted. I had a lead on Jake, but just barely, as Finn dragged along somewhat. Jake latched onto my ankle, attempting to slow me down, and I shouted, "No fair! That's cheating!", only for Finn to have the lead on all of us, which led to both of us trying to catch up to him, only for him to be a mere distance away from the treehouse. I jumped, and I somersaulted in the air, and landed straight on the doorstep. I laughed, "Ha ha!" and followed, "I win!" Finn then disappointedly said, "Ah man! How come you always win these dumb races?" I lowered my eyebrows and replied, "I don't know. Maybe I'm just a natural born runner. You've still got time to match up against your big bro, just don't give up, and if you follow your heart, you can be the best you can be!" Finn replied, "Aw. Thanks man." We fist bumped, and I followed, "No prob." I opened the door and let the two of them in. I then followed, and went into the garage, where I had left a can of soda open and had now gone flat. I drank it anyway, and observed the motorcycle once more. "Something about it just isn't right," I said. I sipped the flat soda and looked at it. "Hm. Probably just thinking too hard." I then dumped the rest of the soda into the sink and ran the tap to drain it down. I yawned and stretched, and decided to hit the hay for the night. I was worn out from how little I'd been sleeping and how much had been on my mind. It felt good to relax, and all in all, I treasured every second of sleep I could get at night. Night turned to morning, and sleep turned to awakening. I yawned once more, picking out the morning crust from my eyes and pulling myself off of that couch. Finn and Jake were in the kitchen, eating breakfast. It was Jake's famous bacon pancakes, which were perhaps my favorite dish of his, and I'm not not really much of an eater. I prefer drinks, really. I greeted the two of them quietly and serenely, "Hello, my two favorite brothers." They replied simultaneously, "Morning."

I sat down at the table a few seats down from Finn and grabbed the newspaper. I looked at it, and quickly scoffed as I slam it down. "Newspapers. They put all the important news in small print and all the dumb news in large print. What's this world coming to?" My comment was ignored, and all there was in that kitchen was the smell of pancakes and bacon, combined into one decadent aroma. I grabbed one of the grapefruit halves off of the table and squeezed the juices directly into my mouth, discaring the ugly, thick rind and wiping the leftover juices off of my mouth. My feet were upright on the chair opposite the one I sat at, and my mind was in a state of morning bliss. I said to Jake, "How are those pancakes coming?" He replied, "Pretty good, pretty good." I then followed, happily, "I tell you what, I'm pretty chill right now." Jake then nonchalantly followed, "Chill, eh?" I replied, "Yup." Jake continued, still focusing on his pork fat flapjacks, "Even knowing that the fate of the world is in your hands, you're in a good mood with no worries?" It hit me like a sack filled with sacks full of bricks. "Oh... yeah, that..." Jake continued, "Hey, you're like, the Reapers' messiah or something. How can you be worried?" I replied, "It's complicated. Sure, I've got the powers of their gods on my hands and it's practically written in stone that I'll be the one victorious, but I tell you, I'm still nervous." Jake replied, "Whatever man. Just as long as you know what you're doing." I followed, "I hope so." The pancakes continued to cook for a little more time, and were, within minutes, stacked to the heavens and ready for the three of us to pig out on. Jake said to us, "Eat up!" I smiled devilishly, and Finn and I both held forks high in an attempt to see who grabs the first pancake. We stared at each other menacingly, and some false alarms were given, but in the end, I still got the first pancake, and just as always, I had my fill of perhaps the greatest breakfast food to touch this planet. Great fun was had by all, except for the floorboards, whose splinters were sanded down earlier that week.

After breakfast, I headed out to the marketplace to pick up some supplies for Finn and Jake. I got on my motorcycle, rode on out, and made it to that glorious venue of sellers, resellers, dealers, brokers, vacationers, con artists, artists, businessmen, performers, countrymen, single moms, and laymen. You know, typical weekend people. Money in hand, I got off my bike, only to find myself taken away by force and blacked out. When I woke up, I wast tied to a chair in a dark, damp room. The door in front of me opened, and a shadow of a figure appeared. Upon first glance, the figure bore resemblance to me in many ways. Hairstyle, posture, height, stuff like that. But when the light shone upon him, he was not myself, but rather, a fragment of myself that was everything wrong with me embodied. There were streams of astral projection coming out of my body that connected to him, binding us as one. He snapped his fingers and said to me, "Well, if it isn't the hotshot Reaper boy who wants to be a good guy." A fair amount of his colors were a total inversion of my colors. His hair was now a blackish purplish color, he seemed to be wearing a black t-shirt with a dark red trenchcoat, his skin appearing to have more melanin than mine, but that's beside the point. As I struggled to escape this bondage, he lay his finger upon my chin, grabbing it with his thumb and forefinger, and said to me, "Do you know who I am?" I said nothing. He said louder, "I said, do you know who I am?" I then pulled myself together and said to him, "I don't need your exposition to know who you are. You are my dual form, the Lich intertwined with Archimedes the Atoner. I know all about you." "But yet you know nothing of me." He then sublimated into a white aura and then transformed back into his human form behind my back. "Everything that is in your world cannot be in this world, and everything that can be in this world cannot be in your world, and I have done the impossible by bringing you here, so a god am I!" He then laughed and maniacally followed, "You are in a state of both existence and nonexistence, Rufus. How does it feel?" I could not speak, for I was in pure awe at how defiant of the laws of nature this place was. I was then freed of my shackles and allowed free movement, only to be grabbed by the wrist and flown over a vast dark horizon. This negative version of me said to me, "Isn't it beautiful? Pure nothingness, absolute oblivion. It's what this world was destined for." I shouted to him, "No! The world does not belong in oblivion, especially at the hands of a sick, twisted fool like you!" He cackled. "You claim to be high and mighty, but you are only a mere mortal with disillusions of grandeur. Just give up." He then dropped me into the void, forever falling without so much of a glimpse of light. I was completely paralyzed in shock, as if all I had worked for, all that ever had been in my life was absolutely pointless and meaningless. It seemed as if I were both figuratively, and literally, a fallen hero. Just as I was ready to face fate with fear, this other side of me swooped down and grabbed me by force, flying me onward into oblivion. He cackled and screeched to me, "You really think I'd end you that easily? How gullible are ya? We've still got a long ways to go before your plane of existence sleeps with the fishes! Au revoir, monsieur!"

Just then, I was back at the marketplace, standing exactly where I was at that point in time, and not a second later, not one movement of my body beyond where I had stood. I looked at my hands to make sure things were normal, and plucked a hair, happy as ever to see it was still blonde. This was going to be a bumpy ride for me, and if it takes risking everything, then I have nothing to lose. For although we have journeyed a good distance as of yet, the expedition has only yet begun, and the destination is still far and out. Time's a-wastin'. 


	4. Chapter 4

I returned from the marketplace with supplies in hand, those supplies being some picture frames, sandpaper, a cast-iron skillet, and a footstool. As I walked through this expansive and populated market, purchasing these goods being peddled, there was deep thought within my mind, and I was constantly pondering, skeptically, just what I had experienced. I was not in fear, nor was I in disbelief, but it all didn't add up. At one time during my trip, I sat on a bench, pretending to read a newspaper that was being given out, just to disguise the look of intrigue and bewilderment on my face as one of deep concentration, that is, if my hiding of it were to have failed.

I'll save you a monologue/rambling and move on to a later event in this story, for your sake. As it went, I return home to Finn and Jake, leaving my supplies on the living room floor and saying nothing, even as they had greeted me, and locked myself in a room adjacent to the outdoor passageways of the treehouse, simply to pace and think through all this madness. I simply sighed and put it aside once more, eager to get some quality bro time with Finn. The two themselves were ready to embark on a fetch quest to loot another giant monster or whatever, the usual stuff, and I asked to come with. Jake was a little skeptical, but nonetheless decided I would be good company.

We traveled, and so it was, that the giant red beast of burden, with one glistening eye and fangs sharp as knives, with a horn on his forehead and a club to bash us with, had readied himself. I took it upon myself to climb him, starting from his leg and working my way up his back and up his neck and shoulders, eventually reaching his head. I got it done, with minimal shakings off and some help from Finn and Jake to fend him off, much to my difficulty. It was there and then I found myself upon his left shoulder. A major artery stood before me, which was a perfect place to strike in order to deal an unmerciful blow to him. I grabbed one of my scimitar daggers, whose ruby blade shone somewhat in the sun, and sliced across the artery in two places, blood rushing out. The beast screamed, and attempted to hold his hand in place to clot the blood, only for me to jump in time and latch onto his arm, hanging by his fingers. Holding the same dagger between my teeth, I wielded it and drove it into its palm. He screamed in agony as I swung myself back up onto his arm, running up and waving to my fine young brothers. They gave a thumbs up as they held the sack of treasure he had been carrying and signaling me to come back with them. I, however, was not planning on doing so and wanted to end this foul beast's life. It was then the evil side kicked in, and my Reaper force levitated me into the air. I had absolutely no control over this side of me nor the power within. I nervously looked around as I floated high in the air for no real reason. The other side then began to cackle, using my body as a puppet. He then yelled out, in a distorted tone, to the cyclops, who had walked away in pain, "You there!"

He looked towards me. I nervously shuddered and attempted to force myself away. "Yes, you!" He looked back once more. "Come here, you swine!" An astral projection of an arm and a hand reeled in the cyclops forcefully." I then struggled to find myself out of this hell that was controlling me. The cyclops said to me angrily, "What do you want, you slimy madman?" The other side laughed once more. "Oh, I don't want anything, but I don't think we need you around here anymore. I'm just the janitor, and you're a pile of filth on the floor that is the earth." The cyclops replied, "Who... who are you?" My other side replied, "They call me Nobody. Go ahead, call to your friends. Tell them Nobody is holding you captive." The cyclops said to this, "Oh, like I haven't heard that one a million times." My other side then yelled, in an eardrum-shatteringly high volume, to which Finn and Jake covered their ears and the cyclops jerked in fear, "Silence, you!" My other side then lowered his voice. "I will reduce you to the soil of the earth which you once were, and for every second your remains lay on the ground of this earth, many lives will have came and gone, and you'll just be a pile of dust in the middle of nowhere, and no one will know what it is, and when you are missed, your loss will not be one of great sorrow, for you truly are a twisted soul." The cyclops followed, "Go on then. Do it. You're not afraid. End me, if that's what you wanted. Come on, then." I smiled involuntarily, and from my mouth shot out a blinding beam of light that melted the cyclops into a pile of dust, laying there on the cold ground, doing absolutely nothing but serving to a few as a reminder of a past soul. I was then involuntarily lowered to the ground and fainted. When I woke up, I was somewhere else.

There again was the negative version of me, sitting in a dark, dirty room at an interrogation table. I was handcuffed, and he was drinking from a pitcher of iced tea that was more than likely spiked. There was a policeman in the corner behind him whose eyes and body language indicated he was blind, but he was merely an illusion to set the tone, none but "smoke and mirrors". My other side said, "How do you like us now, Ruffie boy?" I had pure disdain for this pet name he had given me, but it was not the time for comments of disapproval. Instead, I simply sat there and ignored everything. "Oh, I hate when they don't talk." He then set his entire body on fire at the snap of his fingers and said to me, "This get your attention? Eh? Eh?" Again, I ignored it all. He then poured a glass of the iced tea and offered it to me, saying, "Hey, how about a drink?" I quietly and angrily whispered, "Don't you dare bring that liquid near me." He then attempted to pour it into my mouth, only for me to knock the cup against the wall behind me and for him to shake his head and sadly say, "And you were doing so well..." I asked this false prophet, "Who are you? Where are we? What am I supposed to do?" He then crossed his fingers and folded his arms, lowering his eyebrows. He said, "I'm glad you asked that, Mr. Atoner." I snappily replied in whisper, "It's Rufus." He followed, "Whatever. Anywhom, consider the following. I am the part of you that is bad, right? You are the part that is good. I know that you that you understand that, and you know that I understand that. But! It's not that simple. No living thing is purely evil or purely good, so whereas you are simply the melting pot of good and evil, I am simply the evil that was mixed into the deoxyribonucleic stew that is your soul, and, however, I mixed in with some good, so hey, everyone wins, right? Right?" I ignored him once more. "So basically, I'm a fragment that combined with other fragments, but stayed as far away as possible from the pure good fragment that is my ultimate foe. Consider this, however. Good and evil are like the same respective end on two different magnets. There will be resistance, and you can get them to touch if you want to, but no matter how much you try, the forces that bind will always have their way." I then replied, "Hm. Funny. That's not the way I see it." He replied, "Oh?" I followed, "Yeah... they're more like a pencil lead and an eraser." The other side smiled awkwardly and shook his head. I continued, "The pencil will write, and it can write pretty much anything and everything, but the eraser can, and will eventually overcome what the pencil has drawn, but the lead falleth, the lead riseth again, and the cycle goes on and on, forever." The other side lay his palm and fingers across his face, laughing, and took a long, hard sip of his libation. "You sure it's you that's wasted and not me?" I shrugged. "Well, whatever the case, this isn't a philosophical debate. I just like messing with you. I then realized that, being within my own subconscious, I could draw forth anything and everything, so I materialized a sword to put an end to this monster. "Watch out, we got ourselves a badass over here." I scoffed, and, controlling the blade with my mind due to my handcuffed state, sliced the other side's head clean off, no blood spraying out, no screaming, no nothing, it was a plain and simple decapitation.

He then appeared behind my back, massaging my shoulders. "My my, Rufus, good sir, you're always so tense. You need to lay low once in a while." I stammered, "Why are you still alive?" He chuckled. "Come with me on a flight through oblivion, and we'll talk." He then snapped his fingers, and we found ourselves on the back of a giant bird, who was an outline, and none more. The other side explained to me, "This is a world I have created solely for us to have freedom in ourselves. Of course, it's more to my suiting, but if there's any benefit to it, that pesky good side is forbidden from these grounds. Just you and me, alone, in this world where I am king and you are my... erm..." I interjected, "Proprietor?" He replied, "My, my, such big words for such a simple paradise." I then interjected, "Hold on, this isn't absolute oblivion." He then reclined himself back and said, "Do tell." I replied, "Well, for one, we're here, two, there's this bird, three, there's the rooms we've met in while I've been here, and then there's the fact that there's breathable air and light. So you have contradicted yourself in your attempts to swindle me toward your ways, ergo, I will not join you." He then rolled his eyes. "Silly Rufus, there are no absolutes, ever. Absolute oblivion would be pointless, because if I wanted peace and quiet, I wouldn't need to be nowhere, because even if there was nothing there, the place itself would still be there, therefore, there is something there." I replied, "But... that's the exact point I'm trying to make." He then rose and eyebrow, intrigued at what I had to say. I followed, "Never mind. But there is one thing. You never answered all my questions." He conjured up a banana and peeled it. He said to me, "Yeah, well, if you ask me, this whole destiny thing's just as pointless to me as it is to you." He then chomped on the top end of the banana and started chewing. I said to him, "But... you must know something, right?" He shrugged one shoulder and peeled some of the inner skin strings off of the banana, tossing them aside. "Beats me. I'm you, basically, and you don't know, so I don't know." He chomped on the banana some more. I rolled my eyes observantly. "Well, you are a part of The Lich, right?" He sighed and placed his banana down on the back of the bird. "Look, Rufus, things are complicated. Yes, a fragment of The Lich found its way into your unborn self, and I have been going at it with that Archimedes fella for Glob knows how long, but as time moves along and those two halves start to wear apart and rebuild themselves, as your Reaper powers fluctuate, we become different. If anything, I'm a fragment, of a fragment, mixed with other fragments. Face it, dude, there's just nothing left for me to tell you that I can tell you as it is." I took this into consideration and sighed. He said to me, "Look, sorry about all this. I'm gonna return you to the mortal world, but don't think we've become friends after this little talk. We are still doing as destiny says, even if you get acquainted with me."

He then pushed me off of the bird, and I began to fall. Though I fell for a few seconds, it felt like hours due to the fear rushing down my spine. I woke up under a blanket on the familiar couch with a towel soaked in cold water draped on my face, which I then tossed aside and asked, "What? Is everything alright?" Finn replied, "Yeah man. You were out cold." I sighed and said, "What a relief." Jake then said, "I just hope that whatever drove you all crazy with Reaper power, it's only temporary." I lay back down and replied, "Me too, Jake. Me too." I then looked at the clock. It was 8:30 at night, meaning I likely wouldn't get any sleep that night and would have an excuse to go adventuring. However, tonight was a little different, considering it would be best to stay home in case another "other side" episode was to come up. Laying down, I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. I lay there, in deep thought, and contemplated this whole situation. I dozed off into a deep sleep, and found myself in a well lit palace in the sky within my mind. Knights stood guard, and fountains poured clean, pure water. I walked around in this nightscape, and looked at my reflection in the fountain nearest me. I was stil myself, and everything seemed normal. I then noticed a grand staircase leading to a throne room, which I made my way up for at least twenty minutes before reaching the top, not once getting exhausted from the walk upwards. There, I was greeted by another side of me, who wore cloth armor with the Reaper coat of arms sewn onto it, and a sword of black metal sheathed in a diamond-encrusted holder, with a handle that was etched with the initials of its forger. This side said to me, "Greetings. I'm glad you could make it here." I rubbed my eyes and looked at him. He still stood directly in front of me, no question. He was no illusion, but I still had my doubts. I asked him, "So, I take it you're the good side of me?" He then removed my trenchcoat and hung it on a coat hanger right next to him, and replied, "Rufus, if that is what you feel you should be called, I am more than the good that lies within you. I am the one the Reapers looked upon centuries ago, when all was well with the world and man flourished. I was human, much like you, but I was also a Reaper of the highest level." I said to him, "But wait, in your time, Reaper and human were of no blood connection. How is that possible?" He smiled. "It's quite simple. I was a Reaper, that much is true, but a human soul existed as a reservoir for containing me. Although our physical bodies were different, we were still the same being, much like water can take the form of ice, steam, a raging ocean, but in the end, it is still the same water." "And your spirit?" He replied, "I am the ties that bind the Reapers together, even in a time of hopelessness and desperation. I am in the air you breathe and the water you drink. For although that form may not have much to do physically, it is still myself, just in a spiritual way."

"And what of your human form?" He replied, "It is a great mystery even the wisest and most worldly of Reapers have no knowledge of. Some say he died as a martyr, some say he broke off from the rest of the world and started a nation of his own, however, one thing's for sure, he is the force that protects our sacred fortress." I then decided to ask him, "Well, since you know so much, tell me, why must I be the one who must go through with this destiny? Why am I the one that has to put my life on the line just to bring a new era? Why must I be alone on my journey? Just... why?" The side of me before me said, "Come with me, young soul." He then brought me into a chariot pulled by pegasi and signalled for them to pull us. I saw a world of cities, people, plains, all things a world needs to truly be considered a world. The good side said to me as we were above the world, "I'm sure you know we are a people of darkness. That is a lie. Only a small, but dedicated group of Reapers are true believers in the art of darkness, so much that they created a false afterlife for Reapers whose souls would roam freely for all eternity. I know for sure that your brother of this world has touched the ground of this realm. It is a realm maintained and occupied by False Reapers and misguided, misinformed Reapers. Those who have been granted by my light have been granted the opportunity to roam the cosmos freely as a free spirit." I replied, "And of Gilgamesh the Ambassador?" He cleared his throat. "He is a secret that no Reaper must divulge, not even myself. Since you are no longer a true Reaper, we cannot trust you with that information." I replied, "But... he turned me into a False Reaper. If you really trusted him as a Reaper, he wouldn't cause such a panic for your race." The good side smiled. "I see you are connecting the dots." I stared blankly, jaw lowered. I said, "Wait... he himself is the nuisance the true Reapers have had on their hands for so long now. He knew of my coming and therefore wanted to corrupt me, and manipulate the system..." I then looked over at my coat and squinted. I said to the good side, "Say, you wouldn't happen to know where-" "Looking for this?" I replied, "Wait... I gave that to my brother." He held up a chocolate bar similar to the one that Gilgamesh had handed to me and said, "Ah, but we know where to get more. This certain chocolate is a delicacy of Reapers and False Reapers alike. We trusted him as a double agent because we've got ourselves a sweet tooth. Call us crazy, but considering we don't make these anymore for obvious reasons..." He then stared at me angrily. "We keep him around just in case."

I continued, "And... I'm sorry for what I did to the Reapers. All those lives I tore apart, that can never be fixed." He then lay his hand on my shoulder comfortingly and said, "Fear not, troubled soul. It was prophecized by Reapers of old that there would be corruption of the chosen one, and he would redeem himself for his misdeed against our kind." I replied, "But there's no more of you! I've finished them all! Unless I went around using the stare, I'd have the weight of an entire race on my shoulders. " The good side replied, "Again, young one, although our time is up, our legacy will continue. There will be a new order of Reapers, stronger and wiser than the ones before, and the spiritual force residing from what is left of our kind will find its way into the newborn souls of Ooo, but only in those who are destined to live up to our name." I then followed, "But are humans still done for?" The good side continued, "It was not by our hand that humans are no more. It was by their own wickedness, their wrongdoings, their desire for war and money, that, no matter what we did, they were still doomed. We sought to cleanse them, even in times long ago, and keep them in track. But as the world grew closer to apocalypse, and our workload grew, still the human race brought itself to an end. Now there is only you, your mother, your brother. We have long since obtained many samples of human DNA, and we have gained the technology to clone any organic life form, but we fear that if we bring humans back into existence, there will only be more destruction and mayhem. It is a project we've had on the back burner for far too long now, but it is a project that is of no benefit to any living thing." I then replied, "Well, it's been nice talking to you." He interjected quickly, "But we are not yet done. You have a destiny you must live up to. I apologize for the irrelevant chitchat, I simply wanted to let you in on a few small details." I jokingly replied, "A few?" The good side laughed. "Yeah, sometimes I ramble. Anyway, search your feelings. You will find the answer deep within yourself." I replied, "But I am deep within myself right now." The good side continued, "But are you now?" I then woke up. I looked around, and found that I was still in Finn and Jake's treehouse as normal. It was around seven o'clock in the morning, and I was there and then bored. I rose from my bed and stretched. I looked at my planner, and realized that for some odd reason I had planned a play to be held at The Candy Kingdom Performing Arts Center. Figured it'd be a good thing to do to get this destiny off my mind and have a little fun. Rehearsal was not long before where I had began telling this story, but let's not get sidetracked. A final rehearsal was to be had that morning.

I then waited for Finn and Jake to wake up as normal, and reminded them of the rehearsal and show. Finn said to me, "Hey, how's that destiny thing coming along?" I groaned. I replied, "Don't remind me." Jake then followed, "Hey man, you gotta do something about it. The fate of the world is on your shoulders." I then said, "Yeah, well, sometimes they pick the wrong guy for the job." Jake then continued, "Don't say that. It's a hard thing to go through with, but you gotta do what you gotta do!" Just then, Gilgamesh popped in. He said to us, "Greetings, mortals. I'm sure that the one named Archimedes has considered his destiny." I replied, "And that is of concern to you how?" He then said, "Pardon me, sir?" I exhaled deeply and took a step forward. "I know you're hiding something, Gilgamesh the Ambassador." Gilgamesh followed, "Please, do not be rash with me. I am only here to help and to negotiate." I replied, "You've been bribing the Reapers with your chocolate for far too long now. You're not a Reaper, you're part of an order of False Reapers that do not praise Archimedes as they should. You only want to destroy. You lead me to destroy. I may not want to be a part of this destiny, but if I'm going to go through with it, I won't have you to stray me off the path." Gilgamesh sighed. "So you have figured it out, one called Rufus. You've discovered what we have hid from you for so long. For that I commend you. I have duties to attend to. We will continue this conversation later." He then vanished as we stared into space, wondering just what was happening to the world around us.

Finn asked me, "What was that all about?" I replied, "T'was nothing, brother of mine. It is a matter that is of no concern to you. Wait here. I will talk with the Reapers." I left. I brought myself to that fortress and went into that chamber where those Reapers had informed me of my destiny prior. I yelled, "Reapers! Show yourselves!" Their spirits made themselves visible. The leader said to me, "Archimedes, our savior, what brings you here?" I then drew one of my daggers, held it up for a few seconds, and tossed it to the ground. They looked in awe, puzzled as to just what I was doing. I said, "I've thought about my destiny for far too long now, and I think I'm ready. Bring it on." They smiled and chuckled sinisterly. They said, in unison, "So it is, and shall be. Let the dark side of our mortal savior bring himself to us, and let it be known that the world shall stand still as good and evil's final battle emerges." The environment around me faded, and I found myself in a world where there was nothing but white everywhere. The dark side of me was in a corner, scrunched up, laughing. I drew my daggers, and plunged them into him, only for him to fade into black dust and for the real dark side to be right behind me, putting me into headlock, saying, "So we meet again, Rufus the Human." He then released me, and drew a single sapphire scimitar dagger. I then focused my Reaper energy and escaped from his clutches. He then yelled, "Qu'est que c'est?" It was then I felt the appropriate time to utter a speech.

"If you really are me, truly you'd know just what I'm capable of. I've been through a lot in my short life, and I've done a lot I'm not proud of, but if one thing's for sure, I've got some of the most powerful beings in all of Ooo on my side, and with their powers combined, you're gonna see some serious stuff." He replied, "Oh, really now?" I continued, "I am the light that guides my people through the night. I am the foundation that this island earth lays itself upon. I am the hands of fate that curse evils such as you. I am... Archimedes the Atoner." Much spiritual energy gathered itself into my body, and I grew more powerful. My body levitated into the air, and my arms were at an angle, legs straight down. My hair changed into a luminous shade of white, and my clothes began to blow in a nonexistant wind. An orb of energy grew, and my eyes began to glow. The other side cowered backwards, and tried to run away, only for me to reach full power and explode the area. His body had been blown to smithereens, and he lay, cackling. He then focused his own dark power, and, at the snap of his fingers, changed the world of nothingness into a volcanic wasteland of lava and rock. He rose from the ground, and said to me, "Well played, Atoner. I'll let you know that this was only a test. We shall meet again." He then disappeared at the snap of his fingers, and I found myself stranded in this volcanic wasteland that had merged with the real world. I tried to find my way out, but there was no going anywhere. Everywhere was the same. Everything was the same. After hours of searching, I had given up hope. I simply stood upon one floating rock in the stream of lava, contemplating. It was then I heard the shout of my younger brother. I jumped over to that rock, still in my final form of power, and he said to me, "Bro, what happened to you?" I replied, "It's a long story."

A group of Reapers stood on the rock next to us. Their leader said to me, "Well played, Archimedes. You've served us well... for now." I replied, "How do I defeat my evil half?" The leader replied, "One does not simply vanquish their dark side. It is a spiritual journey of much realization and redemption. You've yet taken the first steps. Come with us, younger human. You are safe with us." I said to Finn, "Don't go." The leader yelled, "You dare defy our orders?" I replied, "I don't want him to become what I've become." The leader then said, "We are not like those which misguided you. We are the Reapers destined to purify this world. How can you not trust us?" I hesitated, and could only reply, "Bros before hos." An awkward silence commenced. "Erm... okay... we still need you to hand him over to us. Or there will be consequences." Finn said to me, "Just leave me with them. You go do what you need to do, I'll do whatever they need me to do." I thought for a second, and could only say, "So be it. I'm counting on you." Finn replied, "No. I'm counting on you." We then parted, waving to each other as our lava rocks drifted away. There was no going back now. 


	5. Chapter 5

So there I was, entering the vicinity of an area adjacent to a location, standing on a floating volcanic rock and finding my inner peace. I looked to the sky, which was red like blood, with dark, murky clouds sparsely occupying it. I stood on that rock for hours, up til I found myself in an abandoned neighborhood, one that had not seen occupation in a good fifteen to twenty years. I walked through the street that went through that neighborhood, taking note of this area with great detail. It then hit me. I knew this area. I looked around, pacing, hoping to find a lead. I turned a corner that seemed familiar to me.

I said to myself, "Yes, that's it. That house, right there." It was a small, one-story house that stood smack-dab in the middle of that street. The gate to the back yard still stood. I went in, and things seemed a little unorganized. Plants had overgrown, someone had left some kind of marble on the ground in pieces. I noticed my old bedroom adjacent to the back yard, and looked through the window. A number of my old things from childhood still stood in that house. It was a bit pesky looking through the torn screen that somewhat fogged my view, but nonetheless I was not mistaken. The patio area was empty, save for some machine that I had no idea what its purpose was. I remember that patio vividly. I even had a birthday party there, and somewhere in that house are pictures of it. It was strange, considering I remember there being furniture back there when I was little. Just near the patio was my mother's old garden, which was once a beautiful little square of land with flowers and vegetables all about, but now was overrun with vines, weeds, and spiders and old memories. I remember the trees in the back yard, which I used to climb and play on all the time, and the aloe vera plant near the tree in the middle of the back yard, which I was always afraid of for some odd reason. I walked over to the plant and harvested myself about five or six long leaves of it for future purposes. I then made my way around to the front of the house. The garage door stood tall and mighty on the right side of the front of the house, and the master bedroom being just to the left of it. The front door was still in its place. The front yard, I must add, still had those two big bushes - the taller one to symbolize me, and the shorter one for Finn, that stood the test of time well. My parents' names were still on the mailbox in stickers, right over the front where the mail company's logos would be placed. I gently attempted to open the door, only for it to be locked, after all these years. I sighed, and started to walk away from the house. Just then, the spirit of my father appeared before me. "Rufus!" he yelled in a deep, gruff voice. I jumped back. "You may not remember me, but I was your father. The one who raised you in that house for a while." I replied, "Dad, I..." only for him to interject, "What are you doing lollygagging around when the end of the world is nigh? I thought I raised you better!" I replied, "Dad, I'm trying to-" "Trying's not enough! You have to do it in order to get it done! Trying won't accomplish anything!" I took a deep breath. He said to me, "Now, do you have what it takes?" I replied,"I think I'm ready." Dad continued, "You think you're ready, or you know you're ready?" I replied, "I know I'm ready." "That's the spirit! Now give me your battle cry!" I screamed to the sky and gave a weird yodel/holler. He clapped, and said to me, "Attaboy, just like I raised ya." I then squinted my eyes. He was merely an illusion, a false projection to cloud my thoughts and prevent my bringing forth of justice.

"You're not father." It was then that the figure transformed into my dark side. He scoffed and said to me, "Well played, Rufus. You're sure to come out on top now." I unsheathed both daggers and dashed at him, only to be slugged in the stomach and knocked to the ground. He gave a sinister chuckle. "Always acting, never thinking. Are you really the hero Ooo deserves?" I yelled, "I am! I'm going to end the miserable little thing you call a life, for I've killed many in my short life so far, and to me, you are just another target, mark my words!" He snapped his fingers. He bashed my face into the ground and held me by my hair. I groaned in agony. He then said, "Your lips are making promises your hands can't keep. Since you're so sure of yourself..." He then stood firm on the ground. "Go ahead, you get one free punch." Just as I attempted to draw a dagger, he said, "Punch, Rufus. Not stab, punch." I charged up my arm, ready to lay my fist upon him like never before. I took a deep breath, and, with the power of the Reapers upon me, knocked him about a hundred or so yards away, his body tumbling all over the ground and rolling all about as I did so. He then wiped the dirt and blood from his mouth and yelled to me, "Nice! I expected much less." I then propped myself up and dusted myself off. I angrily yelled to him, "This is the final showdown! The fate of the world in our hands! The battle to end all battles! Here you are, wisecracking and enjoying yourself. Don't you get it?" He then snapped his fingers again, teleporting over to me and grabbing me by the upper arm, throwing me a few feet into the air and tossing me down, landing on my back. I looked back towards him. He said to me, "But what fun is there in being serious about the whole thing? You expect me to be this stoic, no-nonsense bad guy the whole time? Do ya? Not happening. No, sirree." He laughed once more.

I dashed back at him, only to be knocked back once more. Every punch I landed was deflected, every kick knocked me back on my behind. He then held me by the shirt collar, slapping me a few times. He said to me, "Foolish human. Why don't you just give up? I mean, you're fighting yourself, for crying out loud!" He slapped me a few more times. He then turned away from me. I readied my fist, and let out a firm punch to the center of his back. He gasped in pain, and I was able to land a few hits before I got knocked back once more. He then levitated us both into the air. He said to me, "What do you see? A world in shambles, all because of you and your little problem. It sickens me to know that I'm a part of this ordeal." I stood there in midair, unable to react. "What do you hope to accomplish?" I replied breathing heavily, "I want... to atone... for all I have... for the Reapers..." The dark side scoffed. "Reapers. What good have they brought anyone? They're just angry old men in cloaks that want to kill anyone that doesn't worship their moon god. It's madness, I tell you," I then grew angry, and felt Archimedes's presence build within me for a few seconds. "Trust me, kiddo, you don't want to be in their limelight. It's of no benefit to anyone." I yelled, "That's not true! The Reapers have kept Ooo safe from the darkest of evils since ancient times! They're the reason why we have such a peaceful, reliable world! It's people like you that make the Reapers do what they do! Consider your actions, and maybe we'll tone down our quality control." He scoffed, and threw me to the ground. He then lowered himself, and grabbed me by the shirt collar. "You and what army?" I then attempted to summon my Reaper energy, only for him to sprain my wrist and knee me in the solar plexus, knocking me to the ground. He then cackled for a quite an amount of time, as if he had nothing better to do, and then walked away nonchalantly.

A few seconds later, I got back up and noticed he had turned his back to me. I drew one of the daggers once more and snuck up real quietly to him. Just then, I was right behind him, and I plunged it deep into his back, black spiritual energy seeping out. He then fell forward, first to his knees, then flat on his entire front side. He yelled out to me, "What do you think you're doing?" I then positioned the dagger right where the heart would be and started cutting into him, cutting out a chunk of skin to expose his heart. He screamed as I dug in, and after a good, vigorous search, I found a hard black rock seeping with dark energy. I extracted it, and stomped on it with my boot. I then summoned the light and soul of Archimedes the Atoner, and levitated my body into the air. That power drew itself into me, and I could feel the cosmos scatter itself throughout my body. I deeply exhaled, and felt the final iotas of Archimedes fuse itself with me. I then created a ball of energy with my hands open and held together at the wrists. It grew to a size larger than any being on this planet. The feeling of this ball of energy on my hands felt so rewarding, like something one only experiences once in their life. I then yelled out to him, "Any last words before I erase you from existence?" He then laughed, and held his thumb up in approval. I replied, "Suit yourself!" With that in mind, I released the ball of energy, and the entire sky filled with the white light of Archimedes for what seemed like only a minute, but it was a minute that symbolized freedom and purity for the world, for all that was lost to be restored once and for all.

I lowered myself to the ground, and looked upon the pile of ash that was my dark side. All I could say was, "Good riddance." I looked around, and I saw that the world had been returned to its normal state. I sighed in relief upon making this discovery. Gilgamesh then summoned himself to my whereabouts. He said to me, "Congratulations, one called Archimedes. You have vanquished the evil within you, and are now a Reaper of very high honor. To commemmorate this event, our highest-ranking surviving Reaper has brought himself here to grant you the powers within. That Reaper appeared in the blink of an eye, and bowed to me. He then looked straight at me. His eyes shone brightly as he stared into my eyes, transferring Reaper energy into my body and soul. My eyes then shone, and memory and chakra then rushed through my brain, enlightening and enthralling me. I smiled. Finn, Jake, and my mother then walked upon the scene from a Reaper zeppelin that lowered to the ground. Finn yelled to me, "You did it!" We fist bumped hard. My mother hugged me happily, and said, "I'm so proud of you, son. I knew you could do it, I knew you had it in you." I awkwardly replied, "Thanks mom" as I patted her back. The Chief Reaper then said to me, "Now you must depart. You must leave your family and continue the Reaper order. For so you ended our great legacy, for so it must be revived." I then looked up to the Chief Reaper, who stood a menacing ten feet fall. "I..." I looked toward Finn and Jake. "I can't." The Chief Reaper yelled to me, "But you must!" I then said to him, "Think about it, chief. The Reapers have already fulfilled their prophecy. Their savior came and vanquished his dual form. The world has been purified of its worst evil. All that's left now is to bring the human race back to its former glory, and that just isn't an option." The Chief Reaper replied, "I see. Perhaps our era has met a fitting end, if somewhat of a bittersweet one. One called Archimedes, you are free to use our power as you please, without repurcussion from the Reaper order, and you are free to enter our sacred areas without our essence residing upon you. You are free to channel our spirits and use our resources as you please. My time in this world has now come to an end. With that, I leave you my essence. It has been nice knowing you, my saviour." His body then faded away, and his spirit entered my body through the chest, along with all the other Reaper essence that lived within me. Gilgamesh then said to me, "You are a credit to your people." I replied, "Yeah, I guess I am." Gilgamesh followed, "There is something I must admit." I listened. "I have been using a forbidden hex to let my body roam the earth. I wanted to use it so that I could acquaint myself with the saviour of my people. Now that the time is nigh, I must release myself from this hex and accept my punishment." I replied, "No, Gilgamesh. You don't have to do that. You're among friends." Gilgamesh then paced as he looked downwards. "No. I must do what is expected of me and face the truth. I will always remember you as my tormented soul roams the Reaper realm." He then pulled a necklace off of him that contained an enchanted rune and vanished into the air. I leaped forward to the ground to try to catch him, but he had already passed on.

Just then, I heard voices in my head messenging me. "Archimedes the Atoner... you are worthy of our succession. Beware of our many mysteries, for we are not a race to be trusted." Memories flashed to me, of past Reapers and their great feats, accomplishing, enforcing, dethroning, et cetera. It ended with a message, "You have atoned for your misdeeds to the Reapers and to the people around you. For this, we grant you a long life of happiness and worldliness."

Finn then said to me, "So, what now?" I took a deep breath. "We live, Finn. We live." I then got into the zeppelin with Finn, Jake, and Mother and went for a long ride in that zeppelin over all of Ooo for the vacation of a lifetime. It was a fun trip, and for once in my life, I could think clearly and relax. Maybe I had redeemed myself, maybe this was all just a test for the real redemption, all that matters to me is that I can still remember all this madness and recollect upon it positively.

To all those reading this tale, godspeed. You've truly endured quite a tale. 


End file.
